Just wanted to say, cos i'm sure nobody else ever has, that i think Terry's books are brilliant and i love the cynacism that unlike many authors is never is too harsh or up itself. I would love to say this to Terry Pratchett but that's pretty difficult so i hold out the minor hope that he randomly decides to read this =)

From Cheshire

Also if You do read this Terry then what do you think about visiting Norfolk? i'll settle for Norwich but harleston in south norfolk would be fantastic it's a lovelly place apparently (you never know it could be a one in a million chance)

Yep he is my favourite contemporary author by far!
He is approaching the status of philosopher!Iwish him all the best in his fight with Alzheimers.If any body can fight this horrific dis-order it is Terry,good luck!

I've been a fan of TP since the early 80s and met Terry soon after - he signed a few books for me - I was working for a firm named "Mort" at the time, so I gave him my card.

anyhow - his latest book Nation is so mature and considered - he has stripped away the contrivances and managed to come up with a superb novel that does not need magic to be wonderful.

My mother insisted that I send my appreciation to Terry (even though I am married, in my 40s and my own scribblings are regularly published) - so well done Terry, another brilliant novel - you health may not be as good as it was, but your creative mind certainly is.

The situation with Terry reminds me of an episode in my childhood bourne of fear, frustration and bad advice. When i was about 13 I went through a really bad time with a couple of lads bullying me at school. Im not e xactly a shrinking voilet and have never been called thin or small but lets just say both of these guys had fully grown beards at 13. After a couple of weeks being beat sh*&less by these guys i finally spoke to my dad about it and hoped for some little nugget of wisdom or incredible plan to stop my practice shaves with my new friends holding the razor blade..

his advice was.... "find the biggest one and punch him in the nose"

Brilliant! obviously my small brain was unable to come up with that on my own... Needless to say if i had followed my fathers advice i would probably be living in a box at the back of a shop with a snooker ball in my mouth. I just remember the feeling of helplesness and being angry not just at the bullys but at the complete lack of help, advice or wisdom available to me. Watching TP's program I feel i can see the same feelings crossing his face but with much, much more gravity of course. I like the way he has affronted this desease and i admire the way he has taken advice from people he respects but continues to try and find his own way to beat the desease.

For me i didnt punch the 6" teenager i just found a way to take the piss out of him that much that he was forced to leave me alone. But for terry i cant help but think of my dads advice and hope that he gives this desease and peoples opinion of it a bloody nose!

i firmly belive in judging no one until they eventually prove they are an arsehole

Good story. I went through something similar myself and know of that feeling of helplessness you mention. You'd like to think there was someone who would know what to do to make things right, but then reality hits home.